Idaho Exposure

Hiking, Climbing, Backpacking, Snowshoeing, Backcountry Skiing. Photos by Thomas Oetzell; idahoexposure.com

Home > "Epic White Cloud Backpacking Loop" revisited, August 16, 2022

Most viewed - "Epic White Cloud Backpacking Loop" revisited, August 16, 2022
DSCF0506.JPG
 DSCF0506.JPG11 viewsThe D. O. Lee/WCP-9 saddle above the inlet to Cove Lake.
DSCF0507.JPG
 DSCF0507.JPG11 viewsLooking south from the inlet to Cove Lake. This is an area I enjoy fishing. The lake drops off quickly here, and there are not too many trees, beyond those in the foreground, to get my line hung up in while trying to cast.
DSCF0512.JPG
 DSCF0512.JPG11 viewsThe “Cheese Grater”, the route to the more southerly Boulder Chain Lakes can be seen on frame right in this photo. The threatening weather turned to thundershowers an hour or so later, but not before I was able to cook my trout; delicious! It rained for about 45 minutes, but I was able to get outside afterward, and finish preparing for good night’s sleep.The “Cheese Grater”, the route to the more southerly Boulder Chain Lakes can be seen on frame right in this photo. The threatening weather turned to thu
DSCF0547.JPG
 DSCF0547.JPG11 viewsThe rain continues in earnest, despite blue sky to the west. I put on my mountain parka, and use the rain cover for my pack. If it gets worse, I have gaiters, and rain pants, but being optimistic, I hold off for now. The fishing is usually pretty good here, but I press on, wanting to reach the car in the light—unlike my last trip here!
DSCF0559.JPG
 DSCF0559.JPG11 viewsFrom the ridge south of Ants Basin, close on one of the White Cloud Peaks northeast of Ants Basin.
DSCF0491.JPG
 DSCF0491.JPG10 viewsLooking southeast, further up into Bighorn Basin.
DSCF0495.JPG
 DSCF0495.JPG10 viewsFrom the D. O. Lee/WCP-9 saddle, the view west-southwest beyond Ants Basin, across the Sawtooth Valley to the Sawtooth Range. There are numerous storm cells in the distance.
DSCF0502.JPG
 DSCF0502.JPG10 viewsI descended the cascading stream to this point above Cirque Lake, seeing one of the group of four goats, but was unable to get a photo before he eluded me, disappearing around a corner. Rather than fish here, I decided to head down to and set up my camp at Cove Lake. It was already 10 after 6, and the weather looked unsettled.
DSCF0504.JPG
 DSCF0504.JPG10 viewsThe spot I had planned to set up camp was occupied. I’ve never seen anybody camped there. This turned out to be a better camp, and far enough from the lake to avoid any hassle from wilderness police. I got to bed at a reasonable hour. This was the first night I set up the tent, due to threatening weather, and mosquitos. I got up early, after a good night’s sleep, to catch some alpenglow on the peaks above Cove Lake.
DSCF0511.JPG
 DSCF0511.JPG10 viewsPeaks southeast of Cove Lake.
DSCF0510.JPG
 DSCF0510.JPG10 viewsI fished at Cove, then climbed back up to Cirque, fishing Sapphire on the way back. I used grasshoppers with disappointing results. They were biting, but not very big. This one was just big enough to keep, and added some high quality protein, to the abundant food I carried in.
DSCF0521.JPG
 DSCF0521.JPG10 viewsThis tarn is the last convenient water before Hummock Lake. I gained the ridge in the right foreground. The route crosses the ridge in the center of the photo coming down from the skyline at a point roughly one third down from the top of the frame. That point lines up with the top of left most tree on the buttress in the foreground. The route then ascends to the left in the less steep section well above the drainage.
60 files on 5 page(s) 1 2 3 4 5